Trying to pick a bullet for my 7mm08 has been a little bit crazy. I have read and watched videos and I seem to come away with more questions than answers. My goal is to be able to shoot out to 400 yrds for whitetails and mule deer in TX. I have read threads where someone says I shot a deer at 500yrds with my 7mm08 with x-bullet and x-gr. But the don't say what their barrel length was or the twist rate and the number of grooves. Or if it was a hand load or off the shelf. One or two key factors that contribute to bullet performance always seems to be left out. My hope is to find a bullet that works out of my specific rifle out to 400yrds. The scope is a VX 5HD 3-15x44 CDS ZL2.
My rifle
Tikka T3x Hunter 7mm08
22.4 " 9.5 twist 4 grooves
I will not be reloading. The bullets must be off the shelf. My preference is a monolithic copper. But I would also like recommendations for bonded and cup-n-core bullets. In the past I have used Hornady SST's and then switched to GMX bullets with great success. The new CX bullet is intriguing but I have not been able to determine at what yardage it falls below 2000fps. Let alone where it would hit that mark out of my rifle.
Please list your top 5 monolithic copper bullets that you believe could work out of my rifle at 400yards.
Please list your top 5 bonded/cup-n-core bullets.
If you shoot a rifle with the same barrel/length and twist/groove please share your hunting successes with your bullets. The farthest I have shot a deer was rt at 300yards with a 280. I don't remember what scope as it wasn't mine. That was ridiculously far to me. I gut shot her as I did not hold over enough. We tracked her down and got the meat in a cooler 3hrs later. I want to use the CDS system on my scope to help minimize situations like that.
TIA
In the post someone stated that you didn't reload. I didn't see that. 1. Your twist rate is a little slow for all copper bullets. 2. your holding your shots to 400yds or there about. So flat base bullets would work for you, and easyier on your barrel. Over 500yds then a boattail would be the go to bullet. I am a nosler BT or AB bullet user in most of my rifles, because they are slower twist rates. 1-9 to 1-14. Newer rifles that I am having built are now 1-7 twist rates to be able to use all copper bullets. Presently I feel that Hunter bullets are the best on the market for pushing the bullet down the tube. I know that others will dissgree with that. It's my thinking not their.
Proper placement is far more inportance than anything else.
Velocity is your friend in most cases. I would look at something around 130grs for deer and the yardage your are shooting at. A little less drop at those ranges.
I use a 25/06 for years out to 500yds with a 120gr Nosler SP. (they don;t make them now)
Barrel lengths it doesn't matter, what you got is what you got. I do shoot mostly 26" barrel length in my rifles. I do have a 30" barrel on one and a 28" along with a 22" barrel on one.
So if you are shooting factory ammo, then you will need to shoot those out to ranges for 400yds or more and see what groups the best. At the same time watching what the bullet drop is. So you'll know where to hold, or able to adjust your scope for the shot. That's probly more info that you wanted.
What the other person is using is in his rifle, it will generally shot differently than your rifle. There is starting loads and max loads in reloading manuals. That the work up for loads in anybody rifle. THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT.
I hope this sheld some light on the subject.
If you are shooting longer ranges then other rules come into play.